Sheet-feeding apparatus.



A. B. DICK.

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. Z, 1908.

Patented July 27, 1909.

` l a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR wlTEssEsi ATTORNEY A. B. DICK.

SHEET PBBDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 2, 1908.

WITNESSES;

A. B. DICK. 'SHBBTTEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 2, 1908.

INVENTOR /y/) l:BY

3 SHEETS-SHEET a.

ATTORNEY Patented Jul UNITED STATES Fri-TENT OFFICE.

ALBERT B. DICK, OF LA KE FOREST, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO A. B. DICK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO; ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHEET-FEEDING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALBERT B. DICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake Forest, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented a certain newY and useful Improvement in Sheet-Feeding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sheet-feeding apparatus for feeding sheets of paper or other material successively to any suitable device, such, for instance, as a printing machine or folding machine.

The invention is of particular utility in connection with stencil-duplicating apparatus, but is in no way limited in this respect.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved form of sheet-feeding apparatus which is simple in construction and reliable and efficient in operation, with which the time of feeding the sheets to the device which is to act thereon may be adjusted as desired and the feed of the sheets at other than the proper times precluded, and by which the sheets# are fed vto the device in such manner that they will Ibe acted on properly thereby, as by receiving the impression or fold in the desired relation to the edges of the sheet..

The invention involves therovision of a sheet-feeding device preferably operating continuously to feed sheets successively, and a means coacting therewith for controlling the forwarding of sheets to such device. The sheet-feedingdevice preferably consists of a pair of rollersbetween which the sheets are passed and in astencil-duplicating machine these are arranged adjacent to the line sheets.

of coaction of the stencil-drum and the pressure roller.' The means controlling the forwarding of the sheets to these rollers is preferably arranged to effect the forwarding of the sheets to the rollers and for this purpose, is given a reciprocatory motion and is provided with parts adapted to engageA the Thus, gripper fjaws may be employed mounted above and below the path of the sheets and these may be moved relatively to cause them to grip a sheet between them and then moved together bodily to forward the sheet to the sheet-feeding rollers.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led March 2, 1908.

Patented July 27, 1909.

Serial No. 418,729.

Preferably, these rollers are of sectional form and the gripper-jaws are arranged to enter the spaces between the sections of the rollers and then release the sheet so that the movement of the sheet effected by the gripper is continued by the rollers. The time of the movement of the reciprocating forwarding means is made adjustable with respect to the movement of the parts of the duplicating or folding machine so that the position of the impression or folds on the'sheet may be regulated as desired. Also stops or other suitable devices are employed, preferably on the gripper-jaws or otherforwarding means which prevent the passage of the sheets to the feeding rollers at other than the proper times.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accom',L anying drawings, in which Figure l is a sectional elevation of a stencil-duplicating machine provided with my improved sheet-feeding ap aratus, the section being on line 1 1 of 1 ig. 2; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, with the stencil-carrying drum removed, the line of the section being indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vbottom lview of the sheet-feeding apparatus; Fig. 4 is a detail view in section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sections of the sheet-feeding a paratus showing two positions thereof, an Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of a portion of the sheetfeeding apparatus on line 7 7 of Fig. 2, showing two positions of these parts.

Referring to these drawings, the machine consists of a base A, on which are mounted side-frames A', A2. The stencil-carrying drum C is mounted for rotation in bearings formed in these side-frames, and has a geary c `fixed to its shaft and meshing with apinion c secured on a stub-shaft mounted for rotation in the side-frame A and carrying an operating handle c2. The stencil-carrying drum C is provided with the usual foramlnated cylindrical surface, over which an inkmg pad and a stencil-sheet may be secured, and coacting with this drum is a pressure-roller D mounted for rotation below the drum 1n arms d loosely mounted upon a rod d extending between the side-frames and rotatable in bearings formed therein. The ends of the arms d are curved downwardly as shown in Fig. 1, to coact with cams d2 mounted u on a shaft d3 which is provided with a suitalble operating handle, whereby the arms d may be turned about shaft d to carry the ressureroller D to inoperative position witfi respect to the stencil-carrying drum.

A feed-board Eis mounted upon the sideframes, and a metallic plate e is similarlyr mounted with its upper surface in the same plane as that of the feed-board E, this plate e extending close to the line of coaction of thlel stencil-carrying drum and the pressurero er.

F and F indicate two sheet-feeding rolls,

which are mounted for rotation one above and the other below the upper surface of plate e. These rolls are preferably rovided with a plurality of portions of re uced diameter, so as to form corresponding sections in the rolls, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the plate e is provided with openings through which the sections of the lower roll F extend, the upper surface of the sections of this roll being iiush with the surface of the plate e. Rolls F -and F are provided with gears f at one end, which intermesh, so that the two rolls rotate in unison. The gear f on roll F also meshes with a gear f mounted on a stubshaft f2; a gear f3 is also mounted on this stub-shaft and is connected to the gear f by a clutch f4; a spring f5 being arranged to press the gear f and one member of the clutch axially of shaft. f2 to hold the two members of the clutch in engagement. The gear f3 meshes with a gear f mounted upon the shaft of the stencil carrying drum C or formed u on one of the end members of the drum. y this construction, the two sheetfeeding rolls F', F are rotated continuously when the stencil-carrying drum C is rotated,

and the gearing between these parts is such that the surface speed ofthe rolls F, F', is the same as that of the stencil-carrying drum; the clutch f4, however, permits the sheetfeeding rolls F, F to be rotated in one direction independently of the rotation of the stencil-carrying drum C whenever such independent rotation is necessary. Preferably, provision is made for slight relative move- `ment of the rolls F and F', and the `ends of the roll F are, therefore, carried by bearingblocks which may move vertically in suitable uideways formed in the side-frames A', A2. prings f' are arran ed in these guideways to ress the bearinglocks downwardly and old roll F yieldingly in engagement with roll F.

Secured to the under side of the plate e and spaced apart by a short distance from the underside thereof, are two strils e and e?, and between these two strips t e-plate e is provided with a lurality of rectangular openings c3 (Fig. 2 The strips e and e2 A gripper-j aws and the plate e serve to position a plurality of plates G corresponding in number to the openings e3, the ends of these plates passing between the 'strips e', e2 and the plate e; intermediate its ends, each plate G- is bent as indicated at g so that the upper surface of the portion of the plate lying betweenthese two bends is iiush with the upper surface of the plate e and these portions of the plates G form the lower gri per-jaws of the sheetforwarding means. fach of the lates G is secured to a stri g', so that all ofpthe plates move back and forth together. A plurality of supports g2 are also secured to the strip g, and these supports carry a rod g3 lying parallel to the strip g. In each ofthe plates G is an opening, into which extends one end of a finger or stop H, this stop being pivotally mounted u on the rod g3. end of each of tile stops H extends between the strip e secured to the bottom of the plate e and a strip h also secured to the bottom of the plate e, this strip being spaced apart from t e strip e', as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In each of the stops H, adjacent to its rear end, is a bend, as shown at h', so that movement of the stop with strip g and relatively to stri h, causes the strp upon the ro g3 as a pivot. ne positionof the stop is shown in Fig. 6, and the other osition in Fig. 5, the movement of the stop rom the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 5 being effected by gravity, since the portion of the rod g3 on which it is pivotally supported, is of greater weight than the portion on the left. The end of each of the stops H extending through the opening in the gripperjaw G corresponding thereto is bent at a right angle to the body of the stop, the stop is in the position shown 1n Fig. 6 this upwardly-turned end lies below the upper surface ofthe gripper-jaw Gr and the plate e. "When the sto has been moved to the position shown in 1g. 5, thisupwardlyturned end extends above this surface.

The ends of the strip g which carries the G and the stops H, are turned downwardly, as shown at g, and are pivotally connected on a horizontal axis by pivotpins g5 to downwardly-extending arms t at the endsl of an up ery gripper-plate I. This plate I is provide with a plurality of gripper-jaws i, corresponding in number and position to the lower gripper-jaws G, each of these u per gripper-jaws directly overlying one of t e lower grip er-jaws and having the central portion over ying the stop H ofthe lower gri per-jaw cut away as shown in Fig. 2. 'Ihe fi incline as shown,

to be rocked.

and when ody of the late I is disposed at an The other the strip on the rlght of tend downwardly 'therefrom and then in a horizontal direction. Secured to the strip g at each of the ends thereof, 1s a stop-plate i2, which extends upwardly from the strip and lies directly in rear of the arm i at the end of the plate I.

Each of the arms i on the-plate I is provided with a pintle i3, these pint-les being re- 5 ceived in notches formed in the upper ends of levers J secured u on the rod d. One of these levers is extent ed below the rod d and is connected by a link to one end of a bellcrank lever y" pivotally mounted at jg upon the side-frame A2. The other end of the bell-crank lever y" carries a roller js, which is adapted to enter a cam-groove formed in a cam K secured to one end of the stencilcarrying drum C. This cam is adjustable about the axis of drum C and may be locked in any adjusted position by means of a setscrew r passing through an arc-shaped slot in the cam and into a threaded o ening in the head of the'drum. The other ever J is extended below rod d and has one end of a coiled spring c connected thereto, the other end being connected to the frame A.

Theoperation of the machine will now be described. The drum C is rotated by means of the operating handle c2, and the gear f 6 on the drum operates by means of the gearing f 3, f', f, to cause simultaneous rotation of the feeding-rolls F, F', the surface speed of these rolls being the same as that of the drum C. With the parts of the sheet-gripping and forwarding means in the positions shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 7, a sheet of paper is placed upon the feed-board E and moved forwardly thereon until its forward edge passes under the ends of the u per gripper-iaws i and into engagement witli) the upwardly-turned ends of the stops l-I, which arrest the forward movement of the sheet. Then, as the rot-ation of the drum continues, the cam K comes into engagementwith the roller js on the bellcrank lever j', turns that lever on its pivot jz and operates through the link j to rock the rod d in its bearings and thereby move the pintles i3 to the left in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. The first 5 portion of this movement of levers J and pintles i3A causes plate I to turn about the pivots g5 until the gripper-jaws i grip the forward edge of the sheet between them and the lower gripper-jaws G. This movement will 50 be best understood from 4a comparison of Figs. 7 and 8 which show plate I in these two positions and from which it will be seen that the plate has turned about the pivots g5 to brinfr gripper-jaws i down upon the sheet over ying the lower gripper-jaws G and to carry the rear ed es of armsz' away from the forward edges of the stops t2 mounted on strip g. When this occurs, further turning movement of plate I is precluded and the con-` tinued movement of intles t3 causes plate I and strip g and all t earts connected to the stri to be moved wit pintles i3 to the left in igs. 4 and 5, thus forwarding the sheet with the grippers. This movement causes the bent portions hf of the stops H to come into engagement with the strip h and operates to rock the stops u on the rod g3 until the u wardly-turned en s thereof move downward y below the upper surface of gripper-'jaws GA and plate e. After this has taken place, the forward edge of the sheet carried by the grippers reaches the sheet-feeding rollers F, F/, and is fed thereby to the drum C and pressure-roller D. Just as the edge of the sheet comes into coaction with rollers F, F', the roller js'on bell-crank y" passes the turning point in the groove in cam K indicated at inFig. 1 and the pintles i3 begin to move to the right in Figs. 2, 4 and 8. The first portion of this backward movement of the pintles turns plate I about the pivots g5 the slight amount necessary to raise the gripper-jaws t" from the Fig. 8 to the Fig. .7 position, so that the sheet is immediately released by the grippers to allow rollers F, F to feed the sheet forward. This turning movement of plate I brings arms 'i into engagement with stops i2 which prevent further turning movement and then the plate, strip g and the lower gripper-jaws fixed to the strip move back toget er to their original position. In this backward movement, strip h ermits the stops H to be turned by gravity back to the positions inwhich their upwardly turned ends extend above the upper surface of the feed-board; these ends are thus returned immediately to the ositions in which they act as stops limiting t e forward movement of an impression sheet over the feedboard, and this quick return permits of placing another impression sheet in position for feeding into the machine immediately after the sheet first placed in position has been passed to the drum. The rollers F, F thus constitute a sheet-feeding device arranged adjacent to the line of coaction of the members of the printing couple and operating continuously to feed sheets successively thereto, the forwarding of these sheets to the .rollers being controlled by the stops and gri pers. The grippers engage the sheets an effect the forwarding of them to the sheet-feeding device, these grippers being given a reciprocating movement for this.

purpose.

By varying the time of the forward movement of the grippers with respect to the rotation of the stencil-carrying drum, the po` sition of the impression on the sheets may be adjusted as desired and such variation may be edected by moving cam K to different positions about the axis of the drum and then locking it lby set-screw k. The shape of cam K and the mechanism for effecting the relative movement of the gri pers is such that when the forward edge o a sheet reaches the feed-rollers, the sheet is quickly released so that it may be fed along Without interference from the gri ypers and the return of the grippers andp stops to normal position is quickly accomplished so that they are in that position' in ample time to coact with the next sheet to be moved forward over the feed-board.

Having described my invention what 1` claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is z 1. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a rotary member, a palr of sheet-feeding rollers, means for rotating said 'rollers and said member at thesame surface sheet-feeding rollers one of which has ortions of reduced diameter therein to orm sections in the roller, means for rotating said rollers and said member at the same surface speed, means for controlling the forwarding of sheets to said rollers, means for reciprocating said controlling means and causing it to enter between the sections of said roller in correspondence with the rotation of said member, and means for adjusting the time of the reciprocation of said controlling means with respect to the rotation of said member, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a printing couple, means for rotating one of the members of the couple, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers adjacent to the printing couple, means for rotating said rollers at the same surface speed as said member of the couple, a feed-board extending in proximity to said rollers and upon which a sheet is laid, a pair of ripperjaws, means for moving said jaws relativelyI to cause them to grip a sheet, means for reciprocating said grippers to forward a sheet between said rollers, a reciprocating stop and means for moving the stop to operative and inoperative' position, substantially as set forth.

4. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a rotary member, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers, means for rotating said rollers and said member, means for forwarding sheets to said rollers, meansfor reciprocating said forwarding means in correspondence with the rotation of said member, and means for adjusting the time of the reciprocation of said forwarding means with respect to the rotation of said member, substantially as described. v

5. The combination of a printing couple, means for rotating one of the members of the couple, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers adjacent to the printing couple, one of which has portions of reduced diameter therein to` form sections in the roller, means for rotating said rollers at the same' surface speed as said member of the couple, a feed-board, grlpperjaws, means for operating said gripper-jawsv to grip a sheet u on said board and forward it between sai rollers, a. stop mounted upon one of said gri per-jaws, and means for turning said stop re atively to said gripper-j aw, substantially as set forth.

6. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a rotary member, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers one of which has portions of reduced diameter therein to form sections in the roller, means for rotating saidrollers and said member, means for forwarding sheets to said rollers, means for reciprocating said forwarding means in correspondence with the rotation of said member, and causing the same to enter between said sections of said roller, and means for adjusting the time of reciprocation of said forwarding means withv respect member, substantially as set forth.

7. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a rotary member, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers, means for rotating said `rollers and said member, means ing sheets successively to said rollers, means for operating said forwarding means to grip a sheet, forward it to said rollers and then release the sheet in correspondence with thev rotation of said member, and means for adjusting the time of the reciprocation of said forwarding means with respect to the rotation of said member, substantially as set forth. y

8. The combination of a printing couple, means for rotating one of the members of the couple, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers adjacent to the printing couple, one of which has portions of reduced diameter therein to form sections in the roller, means for rotating said rollers, a feed-board, gripper-jaws, means for operating said jaws to cause them to grip a s eet, move forward between the sections of said roller, release the sheet, and then return to initial position, a movablyv mounted stop for arresting a sheet in position for coaction with said gripper-jaws, and means for automatically moving' said stop to inoperative position during the forward movement of said gripper-jaws, substantially as set forth.

9. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a rotary member, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers one of which has portions of reduced diameter therein to form sections in the roller, means for rotating said rollers and said member, means for forwarding sheets to said rollers, means for operating said forwarding means to grip a sheet, forward it to said rollers and then release the sheet in correspondence with the rotation of said member, said forwarding means entering between the sections of said roller in forwarding a sheet thereto, and means for adjusting pivotally to the rotation of said for forwardthe time of operation of said forwarding .to the rotation of said member, substantially as described.

11. The combination of a printing couple, means for rotating one of the members of the couple, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers adjacent to the printing couple, means for rotating said rollers at the same surface speed as said member of the couple, a feed-board extending in proximity to said rollersV and upon which a sheet is laid, a stop for positioning a sheet upon said feed-board, means for moving said stop to inoperative position, means for gripping a sheet lying u on said board and forwarding it to said rol ers, and means for reciprocating said forwarding means, substantially as set forth.

12. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a rotary member, a pair' of sheet-feeding rollers, means for rotating said rollers and said member, a stop for arresting a sheet, means for moving said stop to inoperative osition, means for forwarding sheets to sai rollers, means for reciprocating said forwarding means in correspondence with the rotation of said member, and means for adjusting the time of the reciprocation of said forwarding means with respect to the rotation of said member, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of a printing couple, means for rotating one of the members of the couple, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers adjacent to "the rinting couple one of which has portions of) reduced diameter therein to form sections in the roller, means for rotating said rollers at the same surface speed as said member of the couple, a stop for positioning a sheet, means for moving said stop to inoperative position, a pairof gripper-j aws, and means for operating said jaws to grip a sheet, move forwardly to carry the sheet past said stop until said jaws project between said sections and then release the sheet, substantially as set forth. j j

14. Sheet-feeding apparatus" comprising the combination of a rotary member, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers one of which has portions of reduced diameter therein to form sections in the roller, means for rotating said rollers and said member, a stop for positioning a sheet; means for moving said stop to inoperative position, a pair of gripper-jaws,

means for operating said jaws in correspondence with t e rotation of'said memberfto grip a sheet, move forwardly to carry the sheet past said stop until said jaws project between said sections and then release the sheet, and means for adjusting the time of operation of said forwarding means with respect to the rotation of said member, substantially as set forth.

15. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a sheet-feeding device for feeding sheets successively, sheet-forwarding means, a feed-board extending in proximity to said sheet-feeding device and upon which the sheets are laid successively, a stop for positioning the sheets laid upon said board,

means for operating vsaid forwarding means to grip a sheet lying upon said board, forward 1t to the sheet-feeding device and then release the sheet, and means for moving said stop to inoperative position to permit a sheet to pass it, substantlally as'described.

16. Sheet -feeding apparatus com rising the combination of a pair of sectiona sheetfeeding rollers, means for rotating the same, sheet forwarding means, a feed-board extending in proximity to said rollers and upon which the sheets are laid successively, a stop for positioning the sheets laid upon said board, means for o erating said forwarding means intermittent y to grip a sheet lying l upon said board, move forward between the sections of said rollers to carry the sheet between the`rollers, release the sheet and then return to initial position, and means for moving said stop to inoperative position. to permit a sheet to pass it, substantially as described. v l

17. Sheet -feeding a paratus comprising a feed-board over whic sheets are fed successively, two gripper-jaws, a stop movably mounted upon one of said gripper-jaws and adapted to coact with the forward edge of asheet fed over said board to position the sheet upon the board, 4means for movin v one of said gripper-jaws to grip a sheet etween them, means for moving said stop relatively to the jaw on which it is mounted to carry it out of the ath of movement of a sheet and allow the s eet to pass beyond it, and means for moving said ripper-jaws to forward the sheet, substantia ly as set forth.

18. The `combination of two cylindricalmembers disposed' arallel and adjacent to each other, a feed-board over which sheets are fed successively extending adjacent vto the line of coaction of said members, two gripper-jaws, a pivotal connection between said jaws, a stop adapted to coact with the forward edge of a sheet fedjover said board to position the sheet upon the board, means for moving the stop relatively to the gripperjaws to carry it to moperative position, means -for turning the two gripper-jawsV relatively about said connectionto cause them to grip a sheet, and means for moving both gripperjaws to forward the sheet from its position upon said board until its edge passes between said members, substantially as set forth..

19. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprislng the combination of a feed-board over which sheets are fed successively, two sectional sheet-feeding rollers adjacent thereto, two gripper-jaws located one above and the other below the surface of said board, a pivotal connection between the two gripper-jaws, a member connected to one of said gripperjaws, and means for operating said member to turn said gripper-jaws relatively about the pivotal connection between them and then move them together to carry them between the sections of said rollers, substantially as described.

20. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a feed-board over which sheets are fedsuccessively, gripper-jaws, a support pivotally connected thereto, a plurality of stops pivotally mounted on said support, a singe means for turninfr said gripper-jaws and said support relatively and then moving them together, and means for rocking said ivotally-mounted stops on their pivots, su stantially as described.

21. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a feed-board over which sheets are fed successively, a gripper-j aw, on one side of the surface of said board, a support on the other side to which said gripperjaw is pivotally connected,A a second gripperjaw secured to said support, a stop pivotally mounted on said support, a single means for feed-board over which sheets are fed succesturning said first-named gripper-j aw and said support relatively, and then moving them together, and means for turning said stop o its pivot, substantially as described. v

22. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a feed-board over which sheets -are fed successively, two sectional sheet-feeding rollers adjacent to said board, two grip er-jaws located one above and the other be ow the surface of said board, a pivotal connection between said gripper-jaws, means for turning said gripper-jaws relatively about said connection to cause them to grip a sheet between them, and means for moving said gripper-jaws between the sections of said rollers to forward the sheet bctween the rollers, substantially as described. 23. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising the combination of a feed-board over which sheets are fed successively, two sectional sheet-feeding rollers adjacent to said board, two gripper-jaws located one above and the other below the surface of said board, a pivotal connection between said ripper-j aws, a member connected to one o? sald gripperjaws and means for operating said member to turn the gripper-jaws relatively about the pivotal connection to grip a sheet between them and then move the gripper-jaws together to forward the sheet between said rollers, substantially as described.

24. lSheet-feeding apparatus comprising a feed-board over which sheets are fed successively, two gripper-jaws, a stop movably mounted upon one of said gripper-jaws for positioning a sheet, means for moving one' of said ripper-jaws to cause the jaws to grip a sheet etween them, means for moving the jaws to forward the sheet, and means actuated in moving thejaws for moving said stop to inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

25. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising a feed-board over which sheets are fed successively, two gripper-jaws pivotally connected, a stop for positioning a sheet movably mounted on one of said jaws, means for turning the two gripper-jaws relatively about the pivotal connection between them to cause them to grip a sheet, means for moving both gripper-jaws to forward the sheet,

and means actuated in moving the jaws for moving said stop to inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

26. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising al feed-board over whichysheets are fed successively, two gripper-jaws, a stop for position-v ing a sheet, means for moving one of said gripper-jaws to cause the jaws to grip a sheet between' them, means for moving the jaws to forward the sheet, and means actuated in moving the jaws for moving said stop to inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

27. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising a sively, two gripper-jaws pivotally connected, a stop for positioning a sheet, means for turning the two gripper-jaws relatively about the pivotal connection between them to cause them to grip a sheet, means for moving both gripper-jaws to forward the sheet, and

means actuated in moving the jaws for moving said stop to inoperative position,. substantially as set forth.

28. The combin-ation of a printing couple, means for rotating one of the members of said couple, a pair of sheet-feeding rollers adjacent to the printing couple, means for rotating said rollers at the same surface speed as said member of the couple, a stop for positioning a sheet, reciprocating means for forwarding sheets to said rollers, and means actuated by said reciprocating means for moving said stop to inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 30th day of January, 1908.

ALBERT B. DICK. 

